Al Sharpton finally made it to Dunbar Village. He plans to spend the night there. Watch the video. You know I’ll have more, but this needs to marinate. The woman in red is Ms. Greenwood who was on last week’s podcast.
Update: Okay, I have spoken with the WAOD readers who have been helping Ms. Greenwood organize in Dunbar Village. Ms. Greenwood had been sending communications to the NAN for a minute and just last week, Shecodes was working with Ms. Greenwood and sent yet, another letter. Basically Rev. Al had a speaking engagement nearby and when Ms. Greenwood heard that Sharpton was going to be in the area, she called WAOD reader BlkSeaGoat, who she’d been in regular contact with since he organized that counter demonstration in DC last year, and asked him if he thought she should try to contact Rev. Sharpton’s people AGAIN. he of course said “Heck Yeah!” She did it all herself.
Ms. Greenwood took the initiative, yet again, to contact Rev. Sharpton and the media and It was amazing to see them walking arm in arm with Laurel Robinson, the recalcitrant Housing Authority Executive Director scurrying in their path. BlkseaGoat said a NAN representative will attend the townhall meeting on the 16th and that The Good Reverend will be attending another one at some later point ( we’ll hold him to it)
We’ll have more later, but I thought those of you who have been keeping up with Dunbar Village and the immoral indifference would like to know what is going on.
8 comments ↓
For some reason, I feel a little like, “How nice for Sharpton to decide to go slumming in Dunbar.” The people there don’t need someone to move in with them. I’d have more respect for him if he personally donated money to fund a security detail for a year or planned a “Take Back the Night” march. Put pressure on the city council…Or something!
I guess it reminds me of how in 1981, Chicago’s ultra-racist mayor, Jane Byrne moved into the notorious Cabrini Green housing project. It was self serving and ultimately, although things may have calmed down for the time she was there, it was still the place a 9 year-old girl got raped, beaten and blinded years later in 1997.
This is a start. He’s a bit tardy on the issue, but folks wanted/needed him to show some attention, and now he has even if it was by default. So I guess it’s a waiting game to see if he follows through.
He mentioned Dunbar Village on his radio show today, and I added this audio link under another thread for anyone who did not get to listen. You folks are doing phenomenal work. Hats off you all!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khKxbBikUUE
I guess it’s a start that he’s at least acknowledging that the place exists. Wonder what took him so long? This happened last summer and he’s just now speaking out about. Got to be some self-serving motive behind the sudden interest. Let’s hope he doesn’t turn it into a circus and take attention from the grassroots activists who’ve were speaking and posting about this when nobody else cared.
http://www.thesowingcircle.blogspot.com
well (personal feelings towards rev. al aside), if this brings more attention to dunbar and the needs of its residents all the better. i’m really curious to know what role the local electeds have played in all of this? it’s seems to me (as an outsider), that they have been beyond pathetic in representing their constituents and they need to be held accountable.
Also, i hope the issue of violence against woman does not get lost in all of this, because IMO the type of crime that happened there was not caused by poverty and bad living conditions, but a complete breakdown in our social structure. And when I say Our, I mean all of us, because when crimes like that happen and we’ve become so desensitized to them that they don’t shake us to our core, we have a problem.
Also, i hope the issue of violence against woman does not get lost in all of this, because IMO the type of crime that happened there was not caused by poverty and bad living conditions, but a complete breakdown in our social structure.
I cosign, Iman. Al Sharpton did not have a choice — because we got a promise from his brother on our podcast (and therefore in front of numerous listeners) that they will help the people of Dunbar Village.
If he had rejected Citoya to her face — you know that we would have raised holy hell and start messing with his press. We can be a very pesky bunch.
All in all, I am glad that Rev. Sharpton is spending the night there. It will get a lot of people’s attention to the area.
KUDOS TO CITOYA! That is definitely one determined woman.
Here’s the article from a local newspaper. As usual, he does everything But discuss this family’s attack. I don’t think he even feels that what happened to her is all that important. Didn’t even go to the church to talk to the victim. But, he does to another church to preach about voting for Obama.
I’m going to be honest:
I grew up in SoFla all my life, and black immigrants are not wanted nor respected, especially Haitians. If you see the type of crimes that go on against these people, you really wouldn’t be surprised about what happened to this woman. I really think that these people’s impertinence and lack of concern is because she’s a Haitian immigrant. Am I saying that a woman from this country would have gotten the same treatment? No. Al Sharpton would have responded quicker, because Megan Williams got more attention than this female!
I also don’t think this crime would have happened if she were from this country. She probably doesn’t speak english too welll, the boys knew this and went after her. I don’t think this was a fluke. I also believe thats why the people of DBV don’t care about what happens to her.
Sorry if you don’t agree, but I’ve lived here and you don’t. You don’t see what goes on with Haitians everyday.
hairsmystory.com
Hairsmystory,
I hope that you continue commenting on this blog. I can believe what you are saying… because a black, female immigrant is TRIPLE jeopardy.
I am only the second American in my immediate family, so I am quite familiar with the cultural animosity that immigrants can receive from both whites and blacks. Especially in border states…
I even watched videos on YouTube of people mocking Haitians. Its really no joke down here about how Haitian people are treated. I’m not saying that black women across the board get better treatment when it comes to justice. They do not.But, I think the obvious lack of attention to this case, even in local news media, is because most people don’t care what happen to Haitians. Not many of our people are going to jump up to save this woman.
I also, wouldn’t be surprised if thats why no one tried to help her. I know good damn well that someone heard her screaming, but because of her background, I wouldn’t put it past the neighbors if they didn’t care.
But, if you’ve ever lived down these parts, you’d understand how Haitians are treated on a regular basis. The fighting and attacks. The mockery of their culture. And, yes even whites are the perpetrators, too. But, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was choosen specifically as these guys next target.
hairsmystory.com